Computing-scale for railway mileage-books.



Patented .Aug. 5, I902.

J. a. GOLDFOOT. COMPUTING SCALE FUR RAILWAY MILEAGE BOOKS.

(Application filed Jan. 99,. 1902.)

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.No. 706,046. Patented Aug. 5, I902.

J. G. GOLDFDOT.

CUIIPU-TING SCALE FOR RAILWAY MILEAGE BOOKS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT I OFF C JOHN G. GOLDFOOT, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

COMPUTING-SCALE FOR RAILWAY MILEAGE-BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N 0. 706,046, dated August5, 1902. Application filed January 29, 1902. Serial No. 91,663. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. GOLDFOOT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city and county of Albany, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing-Scales for Railway Mileage-Books, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to means for quickly and accurately ascertainingthe number of units to be detached from a railway mileagebook for eitherpassenger or baggage; and the object of my invention is to provide acomputing-scale to housed in connection with a mileage-book, so as toquickly and accurately determine the exact point where the mileagestripis to be detached. I attain this object by means of the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 representsa plan view of my computing-scale. Fig. 2 represents the scale beinglaid upon the mileage-strip of a railway mileage-book, illustrating themanner of its use. Fig. 3 is an end view of the computingscale shown inFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of the computing-scale and mileage-book inuse as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view of the mileage-book with a slotin the cover for the use of my computing-scale. Fig. 6 is a view of mycomputing-scale being used with the book as shown in Fig. 5.' Fig. 7 isa side view of Fig. 6.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My invention is designed for use with a mileage-book of the'usual form,in which mileage coupon-tickets are printed upon one long continuousstrip or ribbon of paper attached in the usual manner between twocovers, forming a book known as a railway mileage-book. The spaces orcoupons are numbered consecutively and are used in the usual way bydetaching coupons bearing the numbers indicating the number of miles theholder travels or baggage is checked upon it. The mileage-strip shouldpreferably have a blank portion at the end where fastened between thecovers of the mileage-book, so that the strip may be drawn out farenough for the entire portion containing the mileage numbers to beoutside the covers, so as tobe more readily detached.

the sizes of the figures and spaces used in the mileage-books of theparticular railroad upon which the computing-scale is to be used, sothat when my computing-scale is laid upon the mileage strip attached tothe mileagebook any given number of miles upon my computing scale willcorrespond with the same number ofmiles upon the mileage-strip.

My computing-scale maybe made of any material and of any length; but itis most convenient to have the scale made for one division of the roadupon which it is to be used and to contain the number of miles for thatdivision, as between Albany and New 'York; but where the computing-scaleis printed upon a tape a much greater number of miles can be used,

as from -New York to Buffalo or even from New York to Chicago. On oneside of the scale are printed the number of miles consecutivelycorresponding with the mileagebook, with the name of each stationbetween the two ends of that division or road, the name of each stationbeing opposite the number designating the number of miles of the stationfrom the starting-point. On the reverse side of the computing-scale areprinted the corresponding numbers of miles and names of stationscommencing at the opposite end of the division or road. The scale may beprinted upon wood, rubber, celluloid, metal, or other substance, in onelength or in sections, or in the form of a folding pocket-rule, or maybe printed upon tape, which tape may be Wound up automatically by aspring in a box, which may be conveniently carried in ones pocket.

To use my computing-scale,it is only 'necessary to place it upon theunused portion of the mileage-strip, so that the end of themileage-strip shall be opposite the name of the station where thepassenger boards the train, and then pull out the mileage-strip untilthe number at the edge of the book will be opposite the name of thestation where the passage ends and then tear ofi that strip, renderingit wholly unnecessary to compute the number of miles.

resents the unused portion of the mileagestrip. As illustrated in thosefigures, if a passenger comes aboard the car at Stockport intending toride to Staatsburg the end of the unused portion of the ticket, which inthis case commences at 465, would be placed opposite the word Stockportupon the computing-rule and the rule held so that the word Staatsburgwould be even with the straight edge at the end of the covers of themileage-book and the mileage-strip pulled out that far, so that the lastnumber of miles shown on the mileage-strip would be opposite thewordStaat-sburgon thecomputing-scale, and also would be at the edge ofthe straight edge at the end of the covers of the mileagebook, so thatthe mileage-strip could be torn off at that point, as shown in Fig. 2, 0showing a corner of the mileage-strip partly torn ofi. When used in thebaggage-room for re moving the baggage-strip numbers from themileage-book, a rule having the computingscale printed thereon can bereadily laid upon the counter upon the mileage-strip ticket and thebaggage-strip part of the ticket removed for the proper number of miles.The computing-scale in the form of a rule can also be used by conductorson the cars; but the more convenient method, however, is to have a slot,as shown by the letter O in Fig. 5, cut in the cover of the mileage-booknear the end and have a metallic straight edge upon the lower cover ofthe mileage-book, as shown by the letter S, Fig; 7. This metallicstraight edge is preferably made of sufficient thickness to compensatefor the thickness made by the folds of the mileage-strip, so that themileage-strip may be held firmly between the ends of the covers, so asto be readily and accurately detached. When used in this Way, thecomputingscale is preferably printed upon a thin tape and the tapeinserted through the slot, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the persondesiring to remove a number of coupons from the mileage-book may graspthe end of the mileage-strip and the computing-scale between the thumband one finger, the starting-point of the mileage-strip being appliedupon the computing-scale, as before described, and the same drawn outuntil the name of the station to which the passenger desired to pay thefare comes even with the edge of the book, and then the mileage-stripcan be torn off upon the straight edge S, as shown by c in Fig. 6. Theedges of the cover surrounding the slot 0 may be bound in a suitablemanner or strengthened by a plate attached to the cover surrounding theslot to prevent the same from tearing out or becoming damaged.

It is well known that conductors and baggagemen {make frequent mistakesin detaching the coupons representing the desired number of miles fromthe mileagebooks. They frequently do not know the number of mileswithout consulting their books and then computing the proper number.This takes time, and in the rush and hurry it is often impossible forthem to take the necessary time to do it accurately. With'the use'of mycomputing-scale it would not be necessary to count up, compute, norascertain the number of miles for which the coupons are to be detached,but being. measured off the number detached would always be absolutelycorrect and the least possible time taken.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A computing-scale for railway mileagebooks consisting of a rule ortape having marked thereon as many divisions or spaces as there aremiles of length in the portion of the railroad upon which saidcomputing-scale is designed to be used, said spaces being numberedconsecutively to correspond with the number of miles from thestarting-point to the terminus thereof; and having the names of thestations along said portion placed oppo site the numbers designating thenumber of miles of the respective stationsfrom the starting-point saidspaces being of uniform length and equal in length to the length of amileage -coupon of the railway mileage-books issued for passenger travelupon said railroad, whereby said rule or tape is constructed and adaptedfor use in conjunction with said railway mileage-book having a longstrip or ribbon of paper with mileage-coupons print ed thereon,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A computing-scale for railway mileagebooks consisting of a rule ortape having marked thereon upon both sides thereof as many divisions orspaces as there are miles of length in the portion of railroad uponwhich the computing-scale is designed to be used; said spaces beingnumbered consecutively on one side of said scale to correspond with thenumber of miles from one end of said portion of railroad, and on thereverse side of said scale numbered in like manner commencing at theopposite end of said portion of railroad; said scale having thereon thenames of the stations along said railroad placed opposite the numbersdesignating the number of miles of the respective stations from therespective starting-point; and each of said spaces being in length equalto the length of a mileage coupon of the railway mileage-book issued forpassenger travel on said railroad; whereby said rule or tape isconstructed and adapted for use in conjunction with said railwaymileage-book having a long strip or ribbon of paper with mileagecouponsprinted thereon; substantially as described and for the purposes setforth.

3. A computing-scale for railway mileagebooks made by marking off a ruleor tape into as many divisions or spaces as there are miles of length inthe railroad, or some portion or division thereof, upon which saidcomputingscale is designed to be used; said spaces be-' ing numberedconsecutively to correspond with the number of miles from thestartingroe tween two covers, of which covers the one next the face sideof said mileage-strip is provided with a slot adapted to admit the saidcomputing-scale to pass through it and lie upon the face side of saidmileage-strip, substantially as described and for the purposes setforth.

Signed at Albany, New York, this 22d day of January, 1902.

JOHN G. GOLDFOOT.

Witnesses:

LOTTIE PRIOR, WALTER E. WARD.

